This Week in the Mercury
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Food / Poll Mandatory French Fries on Sandwiches: CONDEMN OR ALLOW?
Posted by Wm.™ Steven Humphrey on Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 2:30 PM
So here's a bit of a service industry ethical conundrum... a certain person who may or may not work at this office told me that he went to a certain very famous food cart that serves fries on their "big" sandwiches, and ordered his sandwich WITHOUT FRIES. (He apparently feels this makes the sandwich too "greasy.") So when he orders the "big" roast beef sandwich without the fries on top, the person taking the order nicely refused, saying something like it was the "policy of the business" to always include the fries because otherwise it would mess with the "flavor profiles." (Again, this is hearsay, and summarizes the idea of the conversation rather than the actual quote.)
So the customer says he said, "But I don't want fries on my sandwich," to which the cart employee allegedly responded, "Well, perhaps you'd be happier buying your sandwich elsewhere." (Again, the employee was polite about it.)
SO WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS? (Please note that I did not include any "Shut up, vegan!" options in the following poll... too easy.) Feel free to discuss the particulars of this situation in the comments!
1
Somehow I know this is all Erik "Bonerkiller" Henrikson's fault. That sandwich is art. If you want slop you can dictate, go to Carl's Jr.!
4
I order mine all the time with the fries on the side. Never had a problem. Nicest people in the cart business.
6
If you go to a place that is pretty famous for putting fries on sandwiches, and you request no fries, then you're an idiot.
8
JESUS GRAHAM, THAT MEANS HE PROBABLY ASKED FOR IT WITHOUT THE ROAST BEEF, TOO. WHAT A BONERKILLER?!?1
10
I believe I have been to this very famous food cart on multiple occasions, and I've made that very request- I can't finish a whole sandwich of theirs. They taste fine without fries. Whoever was working their must have been feeling uncommonly misanthropic that day.
11
If Big Ass Sandwiches fries were any good, I wouldn't mind them on top of whatever I ordered. Alas, they're not.
13
If people don't like what a restaurant or food cart offers, they can either deal with removing things of non-interest themselves, or going somewhere else. What is this, a culinary challenge?
15
Is this employee the same kind of jerk that asks for cheeseless pizza and drinks non-alcoholic beer?
16
its part of the style of the meal. have any one of you ever gone to a high end restaurant and nit picked the dishes to shit? comes out looking crappy huh? the sandwich is more then just that, its a meal and a experience.
17
Jesus sockfucking christ. Only in PDX would so many pretentious assbags think this was OK. I've been a chef for 15 years and I have a message for other chefs: you're not a fucking artist. You make fucking food that people fucking pay you to make. If the person paying you wants you to leave something off of the particular piece of food they're ordering, just fucking do it and take their money instead of being an overwrought twat about it.
20
Just a quick break in the action to thank Rip City Hustle for turning me on to the term, "Jesus Sockfucking Christ." That's awesome.
We now return you to our regularly scheduled shouting match.
We now return you to our regularly scheduled shouting match.
21
Look, I love carts, but if you're making and serving food out of a crappy trailer in a downtown parking lot, I don't think you can really be all that uppity about your menu.
22
I concur with tallperson. Fries is the schtick... don't like them, go somewhere else. And don't fuckin' whine about it, Whiner.
24
I'm not afraid to admit that I Rob Thompson am the person who attempted to order the sandwich sans fries. (the rest of you can feel free to hide behind the internet) I've eaten these "BIG" sandwiches often. That said, they destroy me and I'm holding the fries responsible for that. That's not an unreasonable assumption! Everything else is AMAZING. The meat the cheese the bun the love - all of it. What's wrong with wanting an AMAZING sandwich that I'm not going to regret for the next 5 or 6 hours? I just wanted to order it with no fries and double meat. I'd be willing to pay almost any reasonable amount of money for doing that. I simply found it interesting that the OWNER would turn me away for not liking their fries rather than taking my money and giving those fries to someone who really appreciates them. I found it to be the perfect meld between a Portlandia sketch and the soup nazi from Seinfeld.
25
1. Yes, thank you for "Jesus Sockfucking Christ." Magical.
2. I think everyone on this thread pretty much agrees: it's the business owner's prerogative to allow or disallow substitutions, and it's the customer's prerogative to acquiesce or eat elsewhere. In this case, the business owner is treading some dangerous water, as a sandwich cart isn't exactly the only game in town.
2. I think everyone on this thread pretty much agrees: it's the business owner's prerogative to allow or disallow substitutions, and it's the customer's prerogative to acquiesce or eat elsewhere. In this case, the business owner is treading some dangerous water, as a sandwich cart isn't exactly the only game in town.
26
@25 I'm pretty much entirely with you. If my request somehow made the production of this sandwich more difficult or time consuming. I just didn't think that the omission of fries would cause the wheels of this sandwich cart to grind to a halt. I would almost think it would save them in time and overhead. THIS is what I find interesting. They are obviously trying to retain the integrity of their sandwich by ANY MEANS NECESSARY. Which both gains my respect and annoys me. I'm torn. I did eat somewhere else though.
27
I'd be much more sympathetic to the sandwich cart person's prerogative if they hadn't spoken of throwing a bunch of greasy fries into a sandwich in terms of "flavor profiles."
28
Fine. I see you want to get all honest about this. I'll bite: this was a totally reasonable request and the cart owner should have filled it. This is the kind of anti-customer service stance that really turns me off to a lot of places. Any change that can be reasonably made is worth doing as a business owner. It's just good customer service, which when done right pays off in the long run.
Let's say I ate meat, of all my choices downtown, I'd skip this place based completely off this story. Not only did they lose your business today, but they'll probably lose your business in the future. And they'll lose the business of people you tell this story to. Idiots.
Let's say I ate meat, of all my choices downtown, I'd skip this place based completely off this story. Not only did they lose your business today, but they'll probably lose your business in the future. And they'll lose the business of people you tell this story to. Idiots.
30
dude this shit is unreal. If you have nothing better to do than complain about cart food on the internet then fuck you, you are a fucking douche bag and should be dragged in the street and beaten mercilessly. Only in portland would something as stupid as this make it in the mercury, which by the way is a piece of shit news paper written by assholes from California with crayola crayons. I could eat a big ass sandwich and shit out a better paper. Also go piss up a flag pole just after you're done moving back to "insert your lame state here".
32
Nothing says "I'm better than people who complain about cart food on the internet" like complaining about people who complain about cart food on the internet on the internet!
35
Can you not just remove the fries before eating? How hard can that be? Put them in a doggie box for later.
38
Second what @ujfoyt said. That was my first thought.
That being said. One, it is BULLSHIT that the vendor wouldn't oblige and two it was totally his right to refuse.
That being said. One, it is BULLSHIT that the vendor wouldn't oblige and two it was totally his right to refuse.
39
We’ve dined from five star restaurants to one star taco trucks all over the world. We feel, it is the responsibility of the cook/chef to accommodate the paying customer first and foremost. The customer is always right! Therefore, we're behind Rob Thompson 100%. Maybe “The Big Ass Sandwiches” should try their culinary aptitude somewhere else! BTW Do they wash their hands??? Friends from San Francisco
42
Pick 'em off and give them to one of the plethora of homeless in the area. How fucking lazy are you?
43
Their fries suck and so does their customer service. Will definitely go out of my way to NEVER eat at Big Ass Sandwiches again! Who are you douche canoes that can defend this pretentious behavior?
46
Seems like the general consensus here is that BAS is doing something wrong, but that IS their sandwich, fries and all. If you went to PBJ's Grilled, would you order your PB&J without Peanut Butter and Jelly? If you went to Cackalack's Chicken Shack, would you ask for no chicken? There are 700 food carts out there, 200 in downtown alone and 20 that do great sandwiches, including roast beef. Why dog on the one that doesn't meet your specific needs?
47
A lot of servers in Portland act as if I'm there to hook them up on tips and a good day, instead of the other way around. They act like they're not supposed to serve me, but I'm supposed to serve them, my money. Glad this person found somewhere else to eat and I'm glad to find out about Big Ass Sandwiches, because if I'm paying, I want it my way. No BAS for me, thank you. Theo's is very accommodating, you should try it!
48
Loknaar, if you want friendly service and like fries on your sandwich this place is thee premiere spot in town. Seriously awesome. You should give them a shot. But yes, if you want to try one without fries you should go somewhere else.
A lot of commenters are missing the point of this poll entirely. Refusing service to someone is always ok under any circumstances. The question here is, When are you willing to jeopardize your perceived product integrity to please and retain a customer? How far are you willing to go? Take fries off? Put tater tots on? Leave off the meat? Fire that steak to well done? At this time - assuming you understood the question - a majority of you think it is best to turn people away and hold your head high. I'm not entirely in disagreement with you. I just can't stop thinking about how awesome that sandwich would taste without fries on it...
A lot of commenters are missing the point of this poll entirely. Refusing service to someone is always ok under any circumstances. The question here is, When are you willing to jeopardize your perceived product integrity to please and retain a customer? How far are you willing to go? Take fries off? Put tater tots on? Leave off the meat? Fire that steak to well done? At this time - assuming you understood the question - a majority of you think it is best to turn people away and hold your head high. I'm not entirely in disagreement with you. I just can't stop thinking about how awesome that sandwich would taste without fries on it...
52
@17 Jesus Fucking Christ On a Fucking Cross! (Catholic School IS good for something!) Anyway, agree with your points. Like others who posted here, I have visited this cart several times and made the same request (because I think it's gross). No problem, happily granted. My friend wanted extra fries on hers (she's weird) when trying it for the first time...no problem. So I guess we all rule and you drool Thompson ! Ha!
53
@46...good point. Again, I have had this cart grant my request many times. This being the "New Portland" some people just like to complain about shit. I am probably opening a cart this summer with friends (Philly cheese steak, with California style tri tip, grilled, not roasted), I have no problems with special orders as long as its not unreasonable (which I don't think his was in any way)
56
@blabby...it is according to my friend and chef who is from southern California. I myself would'nt know. I do know his Barbequed tri tip is awesome! Please stop by our cart if we get if up and running this summer and judge for yourself. I only ate like a pound and a half of it last sunday while watching the "Game that shall not be named"
Most Commented on Blogtown, PDX
-
City's "Overnight Sleeping" Program Finds First Host—and Neighbors React in Ugly Fashion by Denis C. Theriault
-
Oh, Did You Think The Great Gatsby Movie Was Going to Be Good? by Alison Hallett
-
Happy World Goth Day! by Marjorie Skinner
-
Feds Dish Out $745.2 Million to the Light Rail by Alex Zielinski
-
Game of Thrones Recap: Calm Before the Storm Edition by Joe Streckert
-
Good Morning, News! by Wm.™ Steven Humphrey
-
Portland Button Works Opens on Killingsworth by Alison Hallett
-
Ye Olde Underground Loo by Alex Zielinski
-
We're Number One! by Alex Zielinski
-
Mapping Destruction: City Releases Locations of Portland Hazards by Nathan Gilles
Our Friends
- UrbanHonking
- Culture Shock
- Portland Roundball Society
- Steph Cassano
- Cort and Fatboy
- Street Roots
- Powell's Books Blog
- Portland Transport
- Portland Afoot
- Bike Portland
- Eater: PDX
- Portland Food and Drink
- Mr. Movie
- Sunday Softball
- BlueOregon
- Sightline Institute
- Ultra: Arts Portland
- Bitch Magazine
- Blazer's Edge
- Reading Local: Portland
- Portland Food Carts
- Stumptown Vegans
Our Enemies
The Handyman Pro - Your Honey-Do Specialist
Don’t let our name fool you. The Handyman Pro, LLC is a repair and remodel service provider with over 25-years experience. We cover all aspects of construction and repairs for residential and commercial clients.
Bands Page
Housing
Jobs
Musicians
For Sale
Wheels
Services
Health
The Arts
Friends 'N' Neighbors
Bulletin Board
Personals
Adult
RSSGoing to Seattle?
Comments (57) RSS